- Title: Photomed festival 2017 kicks off in Lebanon
- Date: 23rd January 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEBANESE CULTURAL VLOGGER, JANINE BADRO, SAYING: "I personally wait for it (Photomed Festival) from year to year, because I know the quality and the choice of the photos exhibited. This year, now (at this exhibition), there is a lot of Italian cinema and Italian artists around - it's great that you can see the artistic image behind a movie scene, that you watch in cinemas."
- Embargoed: 6th February 2017 09:55
- Keywords: Lebanon Beirut Photomed photo festival Mediterranean art photographers
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- City: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Art,Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA00760AV0WL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A photography exhibition highlighting the contribution of Lebanese art to the Mediterranean is underway in Beirut, for the fourth consecutive year.
'Photomed Lebanon' opened on Wednesday (January 18) at Byblos Bank headquarters. It will be hosted in several art galleries and exhibition centres.
First established in the southeastern region of Sanary-sur-Mer in France, the event aims to highlight Mediterranean talent through showcasing the work of emerging artists and names normally recognised within individual countries.
This year Photomed is focussing on four themes: cinema, the poetry of ruins, the city of Beirut and the 1970s.
Vice President of Photomed Lebanon, Serge Akl said the exhibition allows the global community to appreciate what Lebanon has to offer.
"Photomed festival is very important to a country like Lebanon. First of all, we have been organising it for four years now which proves that Lebanon is able to host such a big festival and gives a positive image of the country, the cultural and artistic image of civilised Lebanon. This gives Lebanon a bigger presence than its geographical size," said Akl at the Byblos Bank exhibit.
Organisers say the initiative brings Mediterranean cultures together.
"The goal of Photomed is to create a real union of the Mediterranean. This Mediterranean union has never excited politically nor financially - and I think culture is the only way for this union of the Mediterranean to exist. Photography is an art and an accessible one. You can understand a photo just by looking at it," said Philippe Heullant, president of Photomed France, Lebanon and Morocco.
Some of the popular attractions include the 'Cinecittà ' collection by French photographer Alain Fleischer and 'Mediterranean Suite' by Richard Dumas.
The exhibition also includes cinematic pieces from Italian Photographer Sergio Strizzi's titled, 'On Set With Antonioni' featuring Film Director, Michelangelo Antonioni.
Visitors at the event were pleased with the recognition Lebanese artists were receiving.
"This is very important to Lebanon because we open up more to the world, as well as for the photographers who will be able to see what others are doing. We also have a good amount of very talented photographers in Lebanon, they should get the chance to go out to the world and for people to know who they are," said Lebanese photographer, Lina Farra.
Alongside the main exhibitions, workshops and portfolio readings with renowned photography professionals will be taking place.
Photomed Lebanon will run until February 8. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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